May 31, 2007

I am having a BLAST making these Granny Squares for my new quilt. Every time I pass the stack of fat quarters, I pull a fabric and think "oh this will go great with that" and start cutting. But my poor brain is getting confused with all the combinations of fabrics and block configurations.

So I decided tonight that I'll just do all the Block As, then all the Bs and so forth. I plan to make at least 6 of each block, although the designer wrote the pattern a bit differently. I'd like my finished quilt to be larger than hers, but I'm not sure how much larger, but hopefully I will figure that out soon enough - like when I get tired of making blocks!

May 29, 2007

I started a new quilt using Moda's Chez Moi fabrics and this cute pattern designed by Barbara Brandeburg. (Great service from Quilter's Warehouse, in case you haven't ordered from them before - fast and very inexpensive shipping!) Here are my first few blocks. Although my dh looked at them and said "You're not really going to use those fabrics TOGETHER are you?" I really love the way they look. It's too bad this photo doesn't show the true beauty of these lovely fabrics together. The Chez Moi line has just enough of the 'near solids' to tone down all the wild prints in the line. Each print is more scrumptious than the next! Is it wrong that I want to call in sick so I can stay home and make more blocks?

May 28, 2007

My Pinny n Pa quilt was finished to the flimsy stage this weekend. The blocks and rows went together in a snap - there were not a lot of seams to match, so this went together very quickly. I didn't follow the pattern as written for the borders. I simply added a row of half-square triangles, then I will add about a 6" border of this Thimbleberries fabric I snagged at a Memorial Day sidewalk sale for $3.99 a yard and call it done!

I couldn't stop thinking about chocolate and strawberries while finishing this one, especially after a comment Carol made to an earlier post about this quilt. Mmmmm - one of my favorite flavor combinations....

My reward for finishing was to start a new project, of course. I hope to be able to share a photo tomorrow.

May 27, 2007

Fear of birds, or more specifically, of Flying Geese. I have never attempted a pattern using flying geese, and if a pattern I liked required the making of said geese, well, it just went to the botttom of the pile. But I knew I had to overcome my self-limiting fear of this popular patchwork combination, so I set out to arm myself with the proper tools.

I purchased Eleanor Burns' Flying Geese ruler (there are 2 sizes available - I bought both) and set out to make my first geese. The process is very simple, doesn't waste a lot of fabric, and I was able to modify her instructions to press my seams open, which is my preferred method. The result? One 5-1/2" square and one 7" square of fabric resulted in 4 perfectly formed flying geese!

The geese are part of a top secret challenge project which will be revealed on June 4, so no photos until then, but rest assured, my fear of Flying Geese is no more. This opens up a whole new realm of patterns to me!

May 17, 2007

Recent posts by Nicole and Nancy reminded me that I had in fact also made an Envelope quilt early in my quilting career, and I promised Nicole I would share a picture.

This is not one I'm particularly fond of. I made it with the intention of giving it to my brother when I drew his name for our Christmas exchange that year, but then decided (and rightfully so) that he would not appreciate the sentiment behind a quilt, so I kept it. The homespun plaids and the general pattern were not exactly what a beginning quilter should be attempting, but I muddled my way through it. I even machine quilted a grid pattern myself!

May 14, 2007

Now that I have 1/4 of the interior portion of Pinny 'n Pa finished, I like it very much. This photo doesn't show true colors, which are much more subtle - most of the pinks and browns are reproduction prints. But, I like the pattern that is emerging and I've found a way to get a little production line going and speed the piecing a little bit. I'm not sure yet what I will do with the pieced borders, as I don't like the way the pattern is written and will need to modify mine. I'm sorry, but I do not just cut off a half-square triangle any which way just to make the border fit!

I spent a great extended weekend with my mom. She was visiting from eastern Washington and stayed with us Thursday through Sunday. We went for a pedicure, shopped til we dropped, drank some good wine, cooked a fabulous Mother's Day meal together (Cranberry-Port pot roast, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower with Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses and honey biscuits) and had a great visit.

I took a couple of pictures of Mom with the boys. DS#2 will likely be as tall as grandma the next time we see her! DD was at a sleepover so she didn't get in the shots. Shhh... don't tell her she missed out - that girl loves the camera!

May 11, 2007

Yesterday I took a class through my guild taught by David McCallum. He is a a great expert and he and his wife Sharon are both so warm, helpful and friendly. We took our machines apart, oiled them all up, put them back together and learned how to troubleshoot many problems. I worked on my white one while I was there, although since we did very little sewing, I probably should have taken my black one (that doesn't work). I did get a clue about what might be the problem (nothing happens when I step on the foot pedal, although the light works). I couldn't wait to open up that foot pedal when I got home, but we didn't have the proper screwdriver. I felt like Goldilocks - they were all too big or too small! A trip to Sears today should get me the right tools and hopefully the machine will be working again soon! If I can't fix it, his rates are very reasonable... he only charges $45 for a tune up compared to $120 at the sewing machine dealer. My mom is visiting and spending the weekend with us, so I won't get any sewing done, but we will get to spend some quality mother/daughter time together. I'm taking her to the spa today for her first ever pedicure. I've become addicted to them, and I'm sure she will love having it done too. She is very excited. Have a wonderful weekend and Mother's Day, everyone.

I went to 2 out of the way quilt shops on Saturday to spend my birthday money. The first shop was really cute and had some wonderful displays and nice merchandise, but nothing to entice me. The second shop (that I'd visited before) didn't fail to satisfy - they had many of my favorite lines of fabric and it was hard narrowing my choices. I ended up buying this huge bundle of reproduction fabrics with the intent of doing a sampler quilt down the road. Coincidentally, I later stopped into the shop where my SIL works and one of her coworkerrs just completed a sampler using this same bundle and had it in the shop to find border fabrics for it. I loved Joyce's sampler, but didn't find out until the next day that she had used the same tower of fabrics that I just bought. Sweet.

I also came home to these in my mailbox - they are some of the beautiful Lecien Antique Flower Collection fabrics. I've had my eye on them for a while, but found them for an amazing price at this online shop. Hurry on over to this site if you want some - they are at least $3 per yard less than any other shop I've found them!

May 3, 2007

I put the borders on my Allemande quilt and started the mitering process last night. The first corner was less than stellar. Not a "do over," but certainly not perfection, either. I decided to wait until everything "clicked" to try it again. Hopefully that will happen this weekend.

Planning a jaunt to 2 quilt shop tomorrow - one I don't get to often because of the distance and the other is new to me, though I have seen her booth at quilt shows. Birthday money is burning a hole in my pocket.